The Letter
by The Goblet
Summary: Snape receives a letter relating to the last Will and Testament of Sirius Black.


**Spoilers**: OoTP (very much so - written as a small interlude for the last day of school of Harry's fifth year).

**Disclaimer**: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Dedication**: For LagoonLady, who always answers all the weird and interesting questions from the members of the harrypottermpreg ML

**Summary**: Snape receives a letter relating to the last Will and Testament of Sirius Black.

**Pairings**:Severus Snape / Sirius Black (in retrospect)

**Warnings**: post-slash, post-OoTP, deals with Severus's reaction to Sirius's death, mention of mpreg (well not *really*, it's implied though)

Severus Snape sat in the Great Hall on the final day of school. It had been a full year, what with all the fireworks, a missing headmaster, a malicious high inquisitor "teaching" Defence Against the Dark Arts, not to mention the centaur that was teaching divination.

It wasn't all bad, he mused, Peeves had finally deemed himself useful with his pranks against Delores Umbridge and Potter's ban from Quidditch certainly hadn't hindered Slytherin's chances at gaining the Quidditch Cup (not that Slytherin had actually seized **that** opportunity).

But then there was everything else that had occurred. Sirius Black, his long time… nemesis (not his enemy - Voldemort had that ultimate privilege) had been murdered by the very people he was rumoured to be working with. There would be no official pardon from the Ministry now, even though it was fairly obvious that he wasn't, and never had been a Death Eater.

Severus swallowed hard to stop the tears that were threatening to well up. He would NOT cry. Not for Black. Severus forced himself to remember all the times Black had called him Snivellus, all the pranks he had been the victim of, the infamous Whomping Willow incident, but it was no use, he couldn't help but remember the day that Regulus Black had been executed, the comfort he and Sirius had found in each other, and in their bed for weeks after…

'Big breaths, that's right, in and out and in and out and in and out,' Severus repeated to himself. He tried to remember the bad times – how horrid Sirius had been after their string of one-night stands, how Sirius seemed to have dreadful mood swings – one minute ignoring him, the next picking a fight for no reason. But even those memories couldn't stop the pain constricting his chest. Twenty more minutes and he could escape back to his rooms, it would be unbecoming a Slytherin to fall apart now!

The noise of the morning post was a welcome distraction as owls began to descend upon the Great Hall. 

Severus concentrated on watching the owls deliver their messages while trying not to thinking about Sirius Black. He was so engrossed in not thinking about Sirius, that it took him a few moments to realise that there was a ministry owl waiting patiently for him beside his pumpkin juice, a letter in its beak. 

Usually Severus would read his mail in private, away from the prying eyes of his employer, but as he still had twenty minutes before he could politely leave the hall, he decided to open the letter, hoping that it could keep his mind off his grief for Sirius Black.

_Professor S Snape  
Potions Master  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Dear Professor Snape,_

_It is my duty to inform you of the instructions stipulated in the Last Will and Testament of the Late Sirius Black. _

_I hereby advise you that you are the trustee for the sole beneficiary of the Black estate, Mr Harold James Potter (hereafter referred to as "the child"). _

_The child stands to inherit all assets owned by the late Sirius Black, including all property, bank accounts and any risk-free possessions seized by the Ministry of Magic upon Mr Black's arrest fifteen years ago (specifically Mr Black's wand and other personal papers) . It is evident that, due to the child's young age, the property must be held in trust for him until his twenty-first birthday. The responsibility of trustee falls upon you, his paternal father._

_As the child is the result of a failed relationship between yourself and the deceased, and the adoptive parents of said child, Mr James Potter and Mrs Lillian Evans-Potter, are also deceased, you have been granted the opportunity to re-instate your previously revoked rights as his guardian. If you wish not to re-instate these rights, the child will be placed in the care of Mr Arthur Mrs Molly Weasley until he is of age, as instructed in the Last Will and Testament of the Late Sirius Black._

_You have twenty-one days to make known your intentions regarding the child's guardianship. Please contact the Ministry of Magic if you wish to assume responsibility for your son. If you do not make your intention clear within twenty-one days, the child will be placed in the care of Mr and Mrs Weasley permanently._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Avril Shortneck  
Department of Minors_

Severus stood up, letting the letter fall to his feet, and looked across the hall where Harry was forcing down his breakfast.

"My son," he whispered softly, "not James and Lily's, **Mine and Sirius's**." 

As he stood there the implications of this new piece of information hit him with the force of a well aimed expelliarmus. "Merlin's Beard," he said faintly, before crumpling to the ground.


End file.
